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Harlem Globetrotter teaches kids ABCs of bullying

Harlem Globetrotter teaches kids ABCs of bullying

By Paula Katinas

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Harlem Globetrotters star Anthony “Buckets” Blakes told kids at Holy Angels Catholic Academy that he got his nickname “because I score a lot of baskets in a hurry.”

But that’s not all Blakes told the kids during a visit he paid to the school at 337 74th St. in Bay Ridge on Sept. 18. He also dazzled them by showing a few of his magical basketball skills, like twirling the basketball like a globe on his index finger and passing the ball through his legs.

And he taught them what he called “the ABCs of bullying.”

During an assembly in the auditorium, Blakes candidly admitted to the students that he was bullied as a child growing up in Phoenix. Blakes, who now stands at 6 foot 2, said he doesn’t want kids to go through the humiliation he suffered as a child.

Now that he’s a member of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, Blakes, 36, is a leading spokesman for the National Campaign To Stop Violence, an anti-bullying organization the Globetrotters work with. His visit to Holy Angels was one stop on a tour of schools in Brooklyn.

The idea behind the “ABCs of bullying” is to teach children what to do if they are being bullied or if they see one of their classmates being bullied, Blakes said.

The ABCs stand for action, bravery, and compassion. “Those three words can prevent bullying in your school,” he said.

Blakes encouraged kids to take action if they see someone being bullied and asked the students what they thought the appropriate action should be. Emmanuel Ferreira suggested that a telling a teacher would be a good idea. Blakes agreed. “We all want to help someone. We all want to do the right thing,” Blakes said.

Displaying bravery is an important, Blakes said. One can show bravery by simply walking away from the situation if you are the victim of a bully, Blakes said.

The third element, compassion, is important, Blakes said. Students came up with suggestions that included trying to comfort the victim and befriending the victim. “You can make the person your new friend,” Blakes said. “You can invite the person to sit down and have lunch with you,” he said.

There are ways a students can avoid becoming a victim of a bully, according to Blakes. Students can become involved in sports, volunteer their time to charity, and work on a community project, he said.

Students should travel quickly from class to class, Blakes said. Bullies like to congregate in the school hallways.

“If you keep busy, it hard for a bully to get a hold of you,” Blakes said.